Households across the UK are being asked to take straightforward, low-cost actions to be ready for temporary disruptions to everyday services, under refreshed guidance released today.

The advice, published as the first phase of a three-year Be Ready campaign, is intended to help people prepare for incidents such as severe weather that can occasionally interrupt power, water, phones and internet access.

Central to the campaign are simple measures households can put in place now, including signing up to the free Priority Services Register so gas, water and electricity companies know who may need extra help in an emergency, and keeping a small supply of non-perishable food and bottled water at home.

The initiative follows recent storms and summer wildfires that highlighted how extreme weather can disrupt daily life and essential utilities. By launching Be Ready, the UK aligns with European neighbours that already run similar preparedness efforts.

Drawing on international best practice, the UK guidance encourages people to be ready to manage up to three days of disruption — an approach also used in France, Ireland and The Netherlands. The government has worked closely with local resilience forums to ensure the advice reflects what works for communities on the ground.

Dan Jarvis MP, Security Minister, said: "Those who can follow this advice should follow this advice. By taking simple steps to be ready for everyday emergencies like severe storms, people can reduce pressure on emergency services, helping them prioritise people who need more support in an emergency.

"This is just the sort of community-focused campaign the UK needs to improve our resilience as a nation. It will bring us into line with European counterparts, where advice like this is a normal part of everyday life." The Be Ready campaign will ramp up gradually. More than five hundred organisations — from charities to businesses — have already committed to share messages and materials through their networks, while official channels such as GOV.UK and government social media will amplify content.

In the coming weeks and months, social media and radio adverts will target audiences that may be more at risk in everyday emergencies, including families with young children and older people.

To make sure the updated information is accessible and relevant, the campaign has been developed with charities and advocates supporting groups that are often under-represented, including people with insecure housing and those who use foodbanks.

Many recommended steps are quick and cost-free, like joining the Priority Services Register, while others are designed to be as low-cost as possible. The aim is that, where households are able to prepare, emergency services can focus on those most in need if an incident occurs.

Core household resilience guidance has been available since May 2024. While Be Ready updates the previous Prepare website with new branding and messaging, much of the underlying advice remains unchanged and continues to apply.

Laura Scott, British Red Cross Director for UK Resilience, said: "We can't control when emergencies happen, but we can all take some simple steps to be prepared, so that when they do, we are ready to help our friends, families and neighbours.

"We know from our work across the UK that local people know their communities best and want to play a part when a crisis happens. Having clear and trusted advice for people, especially those who may be more at-risk, could help reduce the impact of crises and even save lives."

beready.campaign.gov.uk/